It’s August 12, 2024. For the past few weeks, the Canadiens have been in hibernation (or at least, the summer version of it…) in terms of adding players to their organization.
There was the wave of signings to defensemen Arber Xhekaj, Justin Barron and Kaiden Guhle in the news, but the additions aren’t happening.
In a summer where Patrik Laine, Martin Necas, Rutger McGroarty and Trevor Zegras have been linked to the Canadiens and where we are waiting for the next “Kirby Dach” transaction from the GM, it is therefore very quiet.
If we think back to last year, a year ago to the day, we were wondering if Jeff Petry was going to have to start the 2023-2024 campaign in Montreal since he had been in town for six days without leaving.
He finally made his way to Detroit on August 15.
When you look at it, the only big trades in the NHL last year between July 10 and October 7 were related to the Jeff Petry/Erik Karlsson trade and everything that came with it.
For the CH (and just from the CH point of view), which remained in the news even during the summer, here is what happened in the following weeks.
- August 6, trade with the Penguins: the CH obtains Jeff Petry (at 75% of his salary), Casey DeSmith, Nathan Légaré and a second-round pick in 2025 against Mike Hoffman and Rem Pitlick.
- August 15, transaction with the Red Wings: the CH obtains Gustav Lindstrom and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025 against Jeff Petry (at 37.5% of his salary).
- September 19, trade with the Canucks: the CH obtains Tanner Pearson and a third-round pick in 2025 for Casey DeSmith.
We will remember that that summer, in August, we quickly understood that the Canadiens had two mandates following the transaction with the Penguins: to trade Jeff Petry and Casey DeSmith. #Household4InFrontOfTheNet
This was done before the start of the season… and it caused quite a stir.
By the way, just for the fun of it: Pearson and Lindstrom have left for free since then… and Légaré was traded for Arnaud Durandeau, who left for Russia.
In all of this, a year later, all that remains are the Penguins, Red Wings and Canucks choices… plus 37.5% of Jeff Petry’s salary for another year.
(Credit: Cap Wages)
But we remember why all this was done at the time: to get Mike Hoffman out of Montreal.
For the first (and only time, if you ask me) of his reign so far, Kent Hughes acted short-sightedly by getting Hoffman out of his club and putting himself in such a situation.
Yes, the Canadiens took away several draft picks, which is great, but it was still a move aimed at getting Hoffman out of the club first.
And I won’t throw the first stone at him: it was probably the right thing to do.
My point is this: is this why the Montreal Canadiens haven’t made a move yet in the summer of 2024? Because they don’t have a Mike Hoffman to get out at all costs? Today’s “deadwood” is not as problematic as Hoffman’s was.
Even though Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia are probably not part of the Canadiens’ future, their presence probably doesn’t bother the Canadiens right now like Hoffman did in 2022-2023.
It probably makes the GM less likely to make a move if he doesn’t have to. After all, last year Hughes didn’t have to stick his nose into the Erik Karlsson deal, but he did.
Moreover, at the moment, Hoffman is still without a contract for next season after a quality campaign in the Sharks’ colors. Just the same…
In a burst
– Réjean Tremblay is back with his written column. As my colleague Maxime Truman recently announced, he will no longer speak on the radio, but the door was open for his written columns.
SUMMER MCINTOSH, RENÉ POTHIER, GUILLAUME DUMAS, ÉRIC MYLES, GOLD MEDALISTS…AND WE TALK ABOUT IMANE KHELIF AND… CÉLINE GALIPEAU 🥇🥈🥉
Réjean Tremblay is back with his latest Editorial 👇 pic.twitter.com/leMQmtLfmP
— BPM Sports (@BPMSportsRadio) August 12, 2024
– Paris Games: a grandiose conclusion. [98.5 FM]
– Beautiful pictures.
Mr. And Mrs. Tuch 💍
(📷: alextuch89/IG) pic.twitter.com/HxkgBrarf1
— BarDown (@BarDown) August 12, 2024
– Who will help the top four score in Toronto?
Beyond the ‘Core Four’: How Trio of Secondary Scoring Wingers Will Help Decide Leafs’ Fate This Coming Season via @Proteautype
— Spector’s Hockey (@SpectorsHockey) August 12, 2024
